Mass Effect – The movie

Mass Effect: the movie has been in the works for nearly a million years. From voice actors to paragon/renegade crossovers, what could the studio do to please the gamers as much as the movie fans?

The Mass Effect Movie: Potential Success or Just Another Flop

For avid fans of Sci-fi, the news of a Mass Effect movie is already old. Some are overjoyed while some are very doubtful since most movie adaptations are highly disappointing (ahem, The Last Airbender).

Videogame movies (ah… Uwe Boll) have failed especially since most games do not have a truly concrete plot. Mass Effect, however, is a very intense story with plenty of plot. But you have to admit, screwing up is just too easy.

I know I do not speak for all fans of this videogame franchise but I think there are a good number of ideas which would (hopefully) maintain the integrity of Mass Effect. It should be noted though that these ideas only work if and only if Shepard is the main character and the plot of the first game onwards is to be produced for the silverscreen.

Give the Original Team a Voice

Think of it as renting out your apartment. You, as the main tenant, have a say. However, the writers (and producers) should also be open to new ideas. For example, if the other tenants think that the water filter needs replacing, you may want to look into it, rather than turn your nose away. At the end of the day though, the plot and jokes were written by the original team so they should have a last say regarding changes and improvements.

Bring Back (Most of) the Original Cast

I say “most of” for a good reason. The reality is, not all good voice actors are great screen actors. Plus, the character model themselves may not necessarily be good screen actors themselves. Some of them, however, are already experienced on-screen. For instance, Jeff “Joker” Moreau can still be played by Seth Green since the actor is quite a comic, just like Joker. Yvonne Strahovski may also return as Miranda Lawson from Mass Effect 2, since they share a similar face and the same voice. The character might need a bit of CG make-up since Miranda is genetically engineered to look perfect and symmetrical. Other characters, such as Garrus Vakarian and Tali’Zorah, should still have their original voiceover actors but a body double would act for them (think Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four; actor Doug Jones, voiceover Laurence Fishburne).

Give us something NEW

Most fans would probably agree that the voice-acting of the male Shepard in the games isn’t too great while the female version is made of badass. But let’s forget about that and think about the potential actors instead. Alright, quickly name as many hit action movies with a lead hero. Now name those with a lead heroine. See the difference? We NEED more girl heroes (think Angelina Jolie in Salt). Besides, how often do you see women saving the galaxy to the death?

Take a 3rd Option: Paragade

Those familiar with the game would know there are two alignments: Paragon (Good) and Renegade (Evil/Bad). In my opinion, a too goody-two-shoes character may end up reeking as a Mary Sue (or Marty Stu) while a completely rebellious character may just seem like an extreme hate-worthy asshole. Everyone wants somebody to love and I think a “Paragade” just does that. It’s a good mixture of a lawful character who is badass. For example, maybe the movie could play Shepard as a mostly law-abiding person but when it comes to an interrogation (Thane’s Loyalty Mission in Mass Effect 2) she (or he) picks up a gun and tells the guy that Spectres are above the law so he better start talking. The result? You get your answers and complete the shortest interrogation ever. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8idKzHfHqhY)

Based on available info, the movie will be produced by Legendary Pictures. Only time can tell if this movie will end up in the same category as The Dark Knight and 300 (superb success) or Lady in the Water and Clash of the Titans (epic fail).